Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

The Original Amazing Race

Around the World in 80 Days is a timeless classic.  It was first published in 1873 and is still going strong 140-plus years later. Phileas Fogg enters a bet with members at his Reform Club in London.  He wagers that he can go around the world in eighty days, which of course, was quite a feat in pre-aviation days.  The prize:  £20,000, and more costly, Fogg’s reputation. The competitors: Phileas Fogg along with his valet, Passepartout.  The year: 1872.  The outcome: unforgettable antics!   

It’s not just the exotic locales of India, Hong Kong, and Japan that make this novel so alluring, it’s the great characterization of Fogg and Passepartout. Phileas Fogg is a self-assured, persnickety, wealthy man who has an obsession for calculated precision.  He controls every detail of his life with meticulous consideration.  He demands the correct temperature for his shaving water and determines the amount of gas to be allotted for the lights in his house.  He’s compulsive and would drive anyone bonkers, but somehow in the book, he’s also extremely likable. He is a quick, analytic thinker and can solve problems at the drop of a hat. His valet, Passepartout, is a loyal, honest man with a varied work history that includes singer, circus rider, gymnast, and fireman.  Unlike Fogg, he’s prone to make mistakes. But together they are a good team to work their way through the challenges of the race, kind of like the reality show Amazing Race. 

Not to brag but I too had a once-in-a-lifetime trip.  It wasn’t around the world on ships and trains. It was through eight states in an RV. I didn’t have just one assistant with me. In my group there were three adults, one tweenie (twelve), and one brooding teenager (sixteen). We didn’t cover 25,000 miles; we whittled it down to 3,600 miles. We didn’t see snake charmers, coolies, Buddhist temples, or a leper colony. But we did see Devil’s Tower in Wyoming where I broke a faucet at our camp that spouted bigger than Old Faithful and my husband quickly gave me up.  “My wife did it!” he yelled at the grounds keeper when he came to see why water was quickly flooding the campsite.  At another campsite, my son braved a contaminated swimming pool. “It’s okay, mom, the turd was at the other end.” (Not his, some other kid’s.)  We saw majestic Mount Rushmore. We watched a shootout in Deadwood and rode a steam train in Hill City, South Dakota, and watched people roll their kayaks on the Arkansas River in Salida, Colorado.  We had a blast at Donkey Derby Days in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Raced to every scenic overlook to see the amazing cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, where we were so tired after a long day that we all got a little loopy and were cracking up, even my daughter. We also got to see Carhenge, in Alliance, Nebraska.  This is the replica of Stonehenge in England, only the ruins weren’t made out of stone, but out of old cars, all painted grey. We loved it!  Naturally, we won’t check Stonehenge off the bucket list, but we’re satisfied for now. At this “henge” we actually got to touch the ruins as we ran around posing for photos. Everyone was excited.  My teenaged daughter skillfully hid her excitement. She insisted on wearing her black hoodie, covering most of her face even in the 90° weather. She looked like Darth Vadar. Except I think Darth Vadar did crack a smile once or twice, but I could be mistaken.  At campsites we rode recumbent bikes, roasted marshmallows, and watched DVDs together in the evenings.  And while there was no monetary reward at stake as there was in Around the World in 80 Days, we came back with memories that are priceless. I wouldn’t trade that trip for the world.  

1 RV

5 People: Three adults, one tweenie, one teenager

8 States: Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Montana

14 Days

3,600 Miles

1 trip of a lifetime.

Happy reading,
Annette